Dassault Picks Rolls-Royce To Power New Bizjet

Rolls-Royce is the surprise winner of the all-out competition to power Dassault’s projected super-midsize business jet, securing the UK-based engine company’s long-term position in a potentially lucrative market of up to 3,000 aircraft. Charles Edelstenne, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, revealed the decision on Friday at a pre-show briefing at the Paris Air Show, ending months of speculation as to which of five possible contenders would power the new aircraft. Rolls-Royce was chosen because “it demonstrated its capability to provide an all-new engine that will meet our exacting requirements in terms of reliability, performance and fuel efficiency,” Edelstenne said. GE, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Snecma had all offered engines, and as recently as last month, at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva, all were very much still in the fight, although Rolls-Royce was the most tight-lipped about its offer. The company will supply its all-new RB.282-31 engine in the 10,000-pound-thrust class using technology taken from its Vision 10 technology acquisition program.